For a Want of Meaning
by Bao Long
Summary: Newly crowned Brawler of Brawler's Samus Aran finds herself drawn into the enigma, Princess Zelda. Curious, she pursues her in hopes of finding what it is that draws her so. In doing so she finds answers to questions, and a side of her she'd long forgotten.
1. Chapter 1

**For A Want of Meaning**

**Chapter I**

**Summary: Newly crowned Brawler of Brawler's Samus Aran finds herself drawn into the enigma, Princess Zelda. Curious, she pursues her in hopes of finding what it is that draws her so. In doing so she finds answers to questions, and a side of her she'd long forgotten.**

Smash City: grand central metropolis of glorified gladiatorial combat.

Warriors from across the cosmos and dimensions gathered to compete in the Super Smash Brothers League. Heroes and villains alike, drawn together by the powers of Master and Crazy Hands, pitted their skills against one another for whatever reason that drove them. For some it's the thrill and rush of battle and the roar of the crowds, the ever beating drums of war. For others it's a grand test of their skills against the abilities of others. For others it's the money. Or merely for the sake of the good fight.

Regardless it was here these warriors competed in war games and duels, flaunting their capabilities in grandiose arenas for the entertainment for the masses. Of these events, none could compare to the most common and most famous event of them all: Brawls. The primary event of the city and staple source of entertainment, all competitors regularly find themselves in the middle of the various rings that dot the city, staring down foes who all vie for the same thing; prize money, a person, or even some object in dispute in a glorious Trial of Possession.

Today was no exception.

"COMPETITOR DEFEATED!" Mario careened across the sky in a fiery blaze.

The last two days played host to a special event: a grand tournament between the top 16 fighters in the entire league's history. In bouts of sudden elimination combat, they fought furiously up to the top of the tree for a chance to the championship battle and claim the prize and the title: "Brawler of Brawlers". Among them were warriors of legends, champions of longstanding reputations and popularity. Venerable warriors such as Link of Hyrule, Samus Aran the bounty hunter, Mario of the Mushroom Kingdom, and Pikachu from Pallet Town fought in this very ring, alongside newcomers, such as Solid Snake of America who'd taken the scene by storm, who joined in on the competition. By the end of it all, it had narrowed down to a climatic match between the four greatest of them all: Link, Samus, Mario, and Snake.

But due to unfortunate circumstances, Mario had been the first to be eliminated.

The arena was teeming with excitement, alight with tension the mass watched Samus, Link, and Snake stare down one another. Money constantly changed hands as people betted against one another. Who would win? Who would lose? How would one or another be taken out? How long would the match last? Many were on the edge of their seats as they waited with bated breath. Across the arena loyal fans sat in their corners, waving the colours of their favoured champion. Lights flashed as banners and advertisements scrolled across the screens.

It was just another day in Smash City.

All three suddenly leapt forward in a mad dash for the prize. Link let a war cry, raising his sword to strike down Samus. She ducked down into her morph ball rolling under Link's slash and charged straight on towards Snake. He drew his knife and lunged forward, hoping to catch the mesh under her arm. She quickly parried the attack, then grabbed Snake by the scruff of his neck and threw him aside like a ragdoll.

Hearing Link's battle cry, Samus tossed out her grapple beam behind herself. She felt it latched to his leg. And then she threw him across the arena as well. Her momentary distraction cost her as she stumbled back from a punch to her head before Snake slapped a charge of C4 against her torso. The explosion knocked her off her feet. Instincts took over as she flipped in the air and landed in a crouch. She glared at him and ran forward.

Pulling a smoke bomb from his belt, Snake tossed it ahead to screen himself. He quickly unstrapped and shouldered his RPG and prepared to fire only for the barrel of Samus' power beam to suddenly cut through the smoke. He barely registered the hum Samus' weapon before hearing, "You lose." His vision flashed as he was engulfed in a ball of light, ending his attempt for the prize.

"COMPETITOR DEFEATED!" the PA boomed again.

Samus suddenly ducked, Link's sword narrowly missing her head by millimetres. She fired a missile in response only for it to harmlessly deflect off his shield. It hadn't had time to arm. Rolling away from his next attack she quickly swept his feet out from underneath and hammer fists his stomach, flattening him.

Grabbing the fallen warrior she tossed him high into the air and then launched a super missile after him. She scoffed in minor disbelief as Link recovered in time to block the missile with his shield. The resulting explosion nearly ringed him as he skidded to a stop at the edge of the ring. Samus advances to press the advantage.

Link dug the Master Sword into the ground, using it as a crutch. Samus had become so much stronger. A feral grin crossed his features as the armoured warrior quickly approached him. It felt like he was starting down an entire legion of armoured knights. He couldn't help but be amazed by how much more ruthlessly efficient she had become. But despite his admiration he didn't plan on losing. This would be his victory; not Samus's. With renewed vigour, Link forced himself upright and immediately drew his bow and arrow and took aim.

Samus hardly had time to react before the bolt exploded against her amour before Link's Master Sword cut through the smoke. The field ringed as the Master Sword struck Samus' armour. Kicking off, Link ripped the blade free from wherever he struck and charged again. A hand suddenly shoots out from the clearing smoke grabbing the blade and tosses him towards the edge of the ring. Samus runs up and kicks him into the air, following up with another super missile, trained straight for Link as it exploded on contact, denying him victory.

The entire arena erupted in an explosion of cheers and applause, endlessly chanting her name.

Samus! Samus! Samus!

On and on the crowd chants as the new champion rose to her full height. She seemingly looks at them, taking in their applause and adoration. But in reality she sneers at them from behind her visor. What they reaped were the benefits of twenty years' worth of pain and hardship. All the skills and abilities she gained through suffering. Suffering that they would never know. And it only intensified as a small platform materialized in front of her. From there the presenter of the belt and prize money would appear.

Samus' irritation was masked behind her visor. She didn't care for pomp and ceremony. But it was par the course to her chagrin. She would bear it as best she could. But she would keep it short. No speeches. No special ceremonial presentation. No delays. She would take her prize, and leave. And at times she wondered why she bothered to compete. And always she'd remind herself why she fought.

Money.

She'd almost declined when she first got the invitation. There were hardly 16 warriors who were that strong. And after today's performance in the ring, she could say with absolute confidence that the league did not have 16 warriors of comparative rank. For that matter, she noted some of the warriors she expected didn't compete. Clearly they had either retired or were eliminated in their home worlds. What had once been a challenge was nothing more than a boring past time. Her hand had stilled when she noticed something in the invitation.

A grand cash prize.

Hosted by Princess Zelda of Hyrule, she'd been cordially invited to compete for the title of "Brawler of Brawlers", and a cash prize of 100,000 rupees. Converted into Federation Credits, the resulting value supplemented a massive portion of her yearly income. What good bounty hunter could resist such an amount? Add on to the fact her gunship needed repairs from her actions on Phaaze and she couldn't say no.

That was how she ended up here, impatiently waiting for the Princess to present her the reward.

The plan was simple: Enter and win the competition, claim her reward and cash it, and leave. That was all there was to it.

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Zelda took a steady breath as she prepared to step on the teleport platform that would take her to the arena center where she would present the champion her title belt and prize money. That was there was to it. Or at least she initially thought.

She had watched entire the competition from beginning to end. And throughout it all Zelda found herself enthralled by the champion known as Samus Aran. She'd mistaken Samus as male until reading the registration forms that clearly stated female. The knowledge fuelled her curiosity of the armour-clad warrior, who'd yet to reveal her face. She was in awe with what she'd seen. She was fast. And she was strong. Samus stood out among all the competitors. She clearly stood on a different level than everyone else; even that of her champion Link.

But what stood out even more than her impressive performance, was what she saw in Samus' profile picture. One of the few rare documented occurrences she'd been forced to take off her helmet. The moment Zelda had laid eyes on it she felt something towards the blond warrior. The feelings the image invoked had her wonder if it had something to do with recent dreams. The feeling only continued to grow more through the passing days, nagging at her like a persistent fly. Catching her momentary lapse Zelda shook her head clear of the thoughts. There were better times to dwell on it than now.

Zelda smiled to herself as she stepped onto the platform. It was time to meet Samus.

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Samus watched as Princess Zelda materialized. She recognized her, remembering she hadn't been impressed with her both as a fighter and as a princess. As a fighter, her combat capabilities were amateur at best. Nearly everyone she knew surpassed the princess in skill and experience. Her only real advantages were the alternate form she saw her used, and her magic. But even then Zelda's utilization was dismal at best. She recalled that the 'princess' relied heavily on that alternate form. It was more of a crutch than an ability.

As a princess, she didn't like what she saw. Hosting a tournament instead of running her kingdom and funding it from her land's coffers lowered Samus's opinion of her. While arguably her coffers were deep, it was such a wasted expenditure. Of course Samus had no issues about where the money came from; money's money. So what did she care?

She gave Zelda a once over. Her dress wasn't particularly ordinate or special. It looked like an overly embellished nightgown. But noting the amount of ornate patterns, trimmings, and jewellery that embellished it, it was definitely a princess' dress. No ifs ands or buts. It was merely simple; by royal standards. And it didn't look overly restrictive. Whoever tailored it had considered comfort and a certain degree of usefulness in its design. And it looked like she wore boots for daily wear, instead of something elegant such as heels.

She eventually glanced at Zelda's face. She wore an expression Samus often associated with those of royal background. Demure. At least it wasn't haughty like a lot of young women's she's met over the years.

The princess wore no makeup, which was different. But the way she wore her clothes and held herself, and the way her violet-blue eyes stared at Samus spoke volumes behind whom and what she was: a princess. She could almost be considered human, if it were not for her pointed ears. Her first impression had been an Elf, but that was quickly dispelled with a bit of research.

Stepping off the platform, Zelda took a moment to appraise Samus as well. The armoured warrior towered well above her. Zelda only reached up to Samus' chest. She was an embodiment of solid metal, save for the large gash on her chest left by Link's Master Sword. No signs of organic life could be seen, all hidden behind the red and orange armour that had protected her throughout the battle. A green visor stared blankly at her, hiding the person within behind a veil of cold glass and steel.

"I congratulate you on your victory, Samus Aran," Zelda politely greeted. Samus said nothing waiting for Zelda to hand her the prize money so that she could finally leave. Zelda pondered momentarily on Samus's lack of speech, but thought nothing on it. She had heard she wasn't much of a talker in any case.

Of course, there were ways to get even the most stoic of characters to acquiesce and speak. "Samus, may I ask that you at least show your face to me, before I present to you your prize."

"What difference does it make?" Samus answered in return.

Unfazed by the huntress' distorted voice Zelda smiled lightly towards the taller woman and said, "I wish to meet the warrior behind the suit."

"I could simply take the prize money from your hands," she stated.

The princess seemed to consider it a moment, but then strangely smiled and said, "You could try."

Samus fell silent; considering her options. She glanced down at Zelda's hands, noting a belt and a data pad. Behind her visor her eyes narrowed at the electronic device. An electronic invoice. She scoffed realizing that Zelda could easily cancel the transfer. Leaning back she looked around, seeing the crowd's eyes were on them. They most definitely heard Zelda's request. She glared at the princess again. She hadn't planned for this, but there was nothing else she could do now. She'd have to give in. Closing her eyes she accessed the commands to deactivate her suit.

Zelda watched as the armour lightly glowed and then shattered into tiny pieces, breaking away from Samus' body. The armour slowly disintegrated up along her arms and legs towards some point on her chest. Samus' hands and feet were the first to be revealed. Through the haze Zelda could see a blue jumpsuit underneath. More and more of the armour continued to recede until it all finally disappeared into a sigil on her chest, revealing the athletic form of one Samus Aran.

Much to Zelda's surprise, Samus's appearance was nothing like she had imagined. Without her armour it was clear her height was not exaggerated, standing at 6'3" she was incredibly tall by many standards.

From the appearance of the armour, Zelda had believed that underneath her metal exterior was a massive brute that could match the strength and power that she brought forth. Her assumptions were dashed away as she studied the woman before her. Despite her masculine stance she could still see feminine traits hidden beneath her cold exterior. Her body was perfection, elegance, and athletics incarnate. Flowing curves in all the right places, taut muscles, lithe form; Samus was a shining example of womanhood. And the jumpsuit she wore failed to hide her assets, leaving very little to the imagination, further accentuating her femininity. But despite it all, Zelda was glad of what Samus truly looked like was nothing of what she and many others thought her to be.

Her face was just as equally elegant. Long blond hair held up in a high ponytail adorned her features, with strands framing either sides of her face that reached down to her chin. She had a pale complexion from lack of being out of her suit. However, what took her attention most was the gaze her ice blue eyes held. It radiated confidence, and cold indifference. Gazing up at the powerful woman, Zelda felt that if Samus wanted to she could easily snap her in two without a second thought. She had the eyes of someone who had seen so much war and bloodshed. But at the same time she felt it was a façade, a gateway to a different Samus; the real Samus. She blushed when she realized that she had been staring for some time, and took a moment to recompose herself.

Samus let out an internal sigh. Yet another person who made assumptions of what she looked like underneath the suit. Although it was no different than any other person who had never seen her true body, it still bothered her to no end. Perhaps it was because of the way she carried herself or never really disclosed her gender, but somehow, she was always the opposite of what people expected.

"Are you done staring?" Samus quietly asked the princess, a bit irate that she was being held up a lot longer than she planned or expected.

Once again Samus took the princess by surprise. She sounded almost nothing like she expected. While Zelda had expected a deep voice, she had thought it would take on a much more masculine quality. Instead Samus' voice held a deep rich sound. There were no other words that could really describe the pleasant sounds she heard coming from the blonde before her.

"Forgive me but…you're quite different from what many say you are," Zelda commented. Samus gave her a flat stare, impatiently waiting for Zelda to give the prize. The princess' expression relaxed as she lightly smiled and said, "I'm glad."

It took a moment for the words to sink in before Samus finally responded. "'xcuse me?" She was unsure what Zelda meant saying she was glad Samus was different. Samus also noted that this was private, as it didn't sound like this was being broadcasted.

"People say you're a freakish brute with monstrous muscles," Zelda elaborated, maintaining a calm composure and presence. "I for one am glad you're nothing like they say. It makes me feel at ease to know there are still beautiful amazons out there."

Samus couldn't keep the look of surprise off her face. She'd been called it many times, often uttered by those who've earned her ire; particularly by women who lived in such pampered lives, living the perfectly good life because they had the money to do so. Far too many time she's heard it used in such a derogatory manner. And yet somehow, from Zelda it sounded something soothing, something akin more to a compliment than an insult. Although puzzling she put the thought aside. Soon she would be gone and this matter would be forgotten. She wouldn't see Zelda ever again after today.

"Samus Aran, for your stunning performance and display throughout this tournament," Zelda proclaimed, her voice booming across the stadium, "it is my pleasure to present you the title, Brawler of Brawlers." Almost instantaneously the crowd exploded again into joyous uproar for the champion. Zelda held out her hands, passing the belt and prize money to Samus. She accepted the pad and tossed the belt over her shoulders.

Wordlessly she called up a teleport platform and left, leaving the stadium stunned and surprised from her sudden departure. Recovering from her surprise, the princess gathered her composure and left the stadium as well, leaving the crowd to their own devices.

Returning to the waiting room, Samus let out a tired sigh and quickly headed towards the exit. She would leave within the hour.

She hardly took more than five steps from the door when someone suddenly called her out. "Samus, could I have a moment please?" She slowly turned around to see Zelda catching up to her.

"Yes, princess?" Samus calmly answered as Zelda approached.

"I wanted to know if you would like to join me for dinner," she proposed.

"No thank you."

Zelda stared at Samus dumbly for a few moments having not expecting her terse response. She took a moment to recompose before responding. "I see. I apologize for taking up your time. I wish you the best of luck on your future endeavours." Zelda nodded respectfully, and offered Samus one last smile before turning around.

Samus watched princess' retreating back as she lightly pondered about her. She was definitely different from the ones she'd seen and encountered. She still thought that the princess was a fool to squander her treasury, but Zelda definitely didn't behave like a spoiled one. If anything, she was one of those rare one-in-a-million princesses that were raised well, or had gone through some hardships that imposed a certain sense of modesty and control within them.

Looking down at her prize, Samus raised an eyebrow reading the account number the 100,000 rupees was coming from. She knew that the Hyrulian kingdom had its own galactic account number to keep track of trade, but if she read this correctly, this was not from the kingdom's coffers.

This was from Princess Zelda's personal funds.

"Hmm…an interesting princess indeed," Samus smirked, making her way towards the nearest bank to cash in her prize. Perhaps she needed to slightly re-evaluate her opinion of the princess. "Interesting indeed…"

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After wading through crowds of fans and reporters wanting her autograph and comments about the match, Samus eventually made her way to the nearest bank teller to convert her prize into Galactic Credits.

As she waited for the converted credits, and thankfully in private, Samus glanced over at the nearby TV screen displaying the remaining matches for the day. Reading them over none of them held her interest. She did, however, note that some of the competitors from the tournament were already in the ring again. They were definitely tenacious.

"It seems Princess Zelda's up for a match," the teller commented, returning with her converted credits.

Accepting the pad and nodding in thanks, Samus glanced up at the display to see that Zelda was about to start a match. She noted who she was supposed to fight. Among the three opponents was none other than Captain Falcon. While quite the eccentric man, Captain Falcon was a bit of a wild fighter and would most likely dominate. Zelda's other two opponents were Bowser and Ike. Despite the fact they had just competed, they were more than likely well rested and ready to go for another match.

Curiosity nagged her as she quietly walked through the quiet halls. A part of her was interested to see the curious princess compete in this exhibition match, to see what she could do against such a match-up. However, the other part of her had already decided that she would lose. She lacked combat experience and competent training. She would be the first to lose, especially against two combat veterans and a monstrous creature that could crush her in an instant. Then there was her timetable. She got her money. She got what she came for.

Her walk took her by one of the gates that led to the stadium Zelda was fighting in. To her surprise, from the gates she could hear the crowd cheering for a name she had not expected.

"Zelda! Zelda! Zelda!" It was surprisingly deafening for someone she had deemed an ineffective combatant.

"Just what exactly is going on," she mumbled, walking through the door and looked out towards the stadium. To her great surprise, Zelda was doing well. Better than well Samus grudgingly admitted. The princess was holding her ground and surviving. Of her three opponents, Bowser and Ike were already eliminated. Glancing at the scoreboard, it was a 3-round Survival Match, and Captain Falcon was in the lead with 2 ring-outs left, while Zelda was down to her remaining one.

However, that quickly changed when Zelda suddenly fired off a spell sending Falcon clear off the ring and into the shielding around the stands.

Samus felt her jaw dropped in surprise. Falcon had her. He'd been ready to punch her right out of the ring and end it, but the princess pulled a fast one and quickly turned it around for herself. Around her, the crowd continued to cheer loudly for Zelda as they watched her square off with Falcon for the last round.

A few random items appeared before them but neither took thought of it. Falcon began to circle the girl looking for his moment to strike while Zelda simply maintained her cool composure, ready for his attack. Despite the cheering and noise of the crowd, tension mounted as the seconds passed. Neither warriors were ready to give ground, nor were they going to let their opponents take that ground. Both were determined to be victorious.

Samus watched the match closely. She realized that her knowledge on Zelda was now incredibly dated. Had she been matched up against the princess, she'd most likely have paid for her misguided confidence while in the ring; possibly even losing to her by some margin. Samus prided herself in her ability to be ready for any situation, which included studying those whom she deemed weak. A mistake she just made with Zelda by disregarding her completely. This was a new development she hadn't considered. From the stands, she carefully watched as the match unfolded. She would learn what she can.

Captain Falcon dashes forward, his arm reared back to unleash his signature attack. His fist, aflame with power, was aimed straight on for Zelda. Despite his respect for Zelda as a fellow fighter, there was no way he was allowing her to defeat him in combat. Not because he was a man and she a woman, but because it was a matter of personal pride as one of the strongest Smashers here. He could not lose. Not now.

"FALCON PUNCH!"

"What the hell?!" Samus gasped. Falcon's attack went straight through Zelda. She suddenly vanished, leaving behind a very confused and surprised Falcon. "How the hell-"

Words became lost to Samus as from behind Falcon, Zelda materialized and launched a fireball at his unprotected back, knocking him forward. She immediately followed with a levitation spell and threw Falcon high into the air. Drawing in the weapons strewn around her she telekinetically hurled them towards Falcon, barraging him with a plethora of objects and debris. Her ammunition spent, Zelda re-established her grip upon Falcon and hurled him straight down into a pillar of earth she summoned at the same time.

The crowd reacted to the sight of the captain smashing into the pillar as he screamed in pain.

Focusing power into her hand, Zelda unleashed her final attack as a massive ball of energy struck Falcon, exploding on contact hurling him clear of the ring.

"THE WINNER IS ZELDA!" the PA roared.

"What the hell just happened?!" Samus muttered, dumbfounded. She had made a critical error in judgement. Relying on old data would've been a costly and embarrassing mistake. Skill wise there was still no comparison, but she had no data on Zelda's magic. Illusions, levitation, teleportation, summoning; it was very likely that Zelda knew a lot more spells than what she presented today. The bounty hunter had seen the princess use magic before, but not to this extent.

"Just what the hell is she?" she wondered aloud. Noting how rambunctious the crowd was becoming, she made a quick exit, lest she get caught up in the celebrations.

She knew she couldn't leave now, not with this new discovery. What started off as an interesting encounter quickly evolved into outright curiosity and a need to have her questions answered. Although she had cleared her schedule to make the tournament, she was somewhat glad she had no jobs waiting for her. She had all the time needed to answer her question.

But did she want to stay long enough to have her questions answered? She could look up Zelda's profile in the League's databanks; both the public and private files. It would be a lot easier to find her answers that way. But the problem was it was just data. Raw data. It'd only give her half of the equation that was Princess Zelda. She'd have to get to know her personally to find all the answers. She needed to know how she thought. How she viewed things. How she handled things. She needed to know what made the princess tick if she wanted to beat her soundly. She might even catch a glimpse of her training; see what she could do and what she was made of. Maybe even see who taught her the skills she used today.

Unfortunately, she couldn't decide. Both had their ups and downs. Learning the information was faster and streamline, but it was all technical data. Spending time with the princess and learning about the fighter over time would offer her more in-depth understanding of her, rather than a compilation of Zelda's bests and worst points. But it would be time consuming and it would take her away from her work.

The thought of work reminded her of extremely unpleasant events. Less than two months ago, she had finally destroyed one of her worst enemies to date: the Phazon beast Dark Samus. Another reason she decided to participate was to get away from all the demands for her work and forget those events and put it all aside. But even with the constant stream of combat these past few days, it still failed to distract her from the horrible nightmares that still plagued her during sleepless nights. Remembering the images made her skin crawl.

'Maybe I should just stick around,' she thought to herself. She pondered on it for a while more, deciding she needed more time to recuperate from dealing with Metroid Prime, Dark Samus, and Phazon. Perhaps staying here and learn from the real thing was the best thing she could do for now. Lost in thought, Samus stumbled back as she realized that she'd bumped into someone.

"Pardon me," the person she had bumped into apologized.

"No problem," she mumbled, taking a look at the person she had bumped into she realized was none other than Zelda herself. Smiling wryly, Samus said, "Funny running into you. I was actually looking for you."

"Oh? May I ask what it is you wish to speak to me about?" Zelda politely asked, curiosity flickering lightly in her eyes, along with something else Samus couldn't exactly figure out.

"Is your offer for dinner still up?"

**A/N: Before you get worried that this is a plagiarized version of the story, I am Marine Brother Shran, under a completely different penname. This was done with the intent of rebuilding my reputation, and because I wanted to restart anew as an author. Essentially start from the ground, up.**

**For those who are familiar with this story you'll recognise a lot of the scenes, some of them you won't. Also some scenes I've completely taken out because it doesn't match the way I've imagined Samus would behave. I've also added new scenes, or expanded on them to really flesh out Samus and Zelda throughout my story.**

**You'll also notice in later chapters that I've altered the dynamics of their relations. I hope that you guys will enjoy this particular iteration of their relationship.**

**With the addition of Metroid Other: M, I've elected to incorporate certain aspects of the game. Most specifically the animation style of how Samus deploys her armour. And don't worry it won't be the semi-angst Samus that was portrayed in that game. However, I do imagine the way Samus was animated in that game to be like the eldest daughter of Samus if she were to have a kid.**

**Anyways, so begins a massive revision of my story. **


	2. Chapter 2

**For a Want of Meaning**

**Chapter II**

Samus' clothes itched. She picked at it and squirmed in her leather jacket. The texture felt odd to her. Her tank top and leather pants as well. It was different from her usual attire. But Zelda had insisted she wore something different; lest she forced it upon her. She wasn't sure why but in the end she acquiesced to the princess' demands. That was how she found herself in the grand foyer of Smash Mansion waiting for the princess. She adjusted her earbuds with one hand while the other fiddled with her music player.

From her spot near the entrance she surveyed her surroundings. Ike and Marth walked by her as they left for the night. Staff walked about performing their duties. Other residences of the mansion milled about, around the central fountain, the benches, or by the windows that overlooked the enormous garden behind the building. She glanced up at the vaulted ceiling, taking note of the skylight above.

The foyer was too spacious. Too many places she could be ambushed. Very little cover. She could duck behind the flower pots, or maybe the pillars. Maybe the benches, if only for a single shot. But it was all spaced out she'd have a hard time ducking from cover to cover. At least the exit was only a few meters behind her if she needed a quick escape. And the pillar she leaned against protected her back.

She nudged closer to it. Feeling its smooth surface assured her position.

Samus flinched hearing clicking heels approach. She looked. Her shoulders eased seeing Zelda. She took in Zelda's dress, noting her relaxed attire. Instead of her royal garb from this morning she wore a simple summer dress and jacket with heels. Stylish, but conservative. She seemed particular to pastel colours, compared to Samus' black leather.

Zelda smiled, pleased with Samus' attire. She motioned towards the door. "Shall we?"

Samus pushed off the pillar and pulled off an earbud. As she brought her hand down she patted her hip, habitually making sure her Paralyzer was in its holster, hidden by her jacket. She fell in step with the princess. As they approached the taxi she periodically glanced around, taking note of who was where doing what, and what her general surroundings was. They sat down in a limo that waited in the roundabout.

Inside Samus turned towards the princess, relaxed in her seat. "So why did you ask me out?"

Zelda faced Samus and grinned. "You interest me."

She quirked an eyebrow. "How so?"

Zelda contemplated the question for a moment. "People say things. Some of it true, some of it false. But I wouldn't know. You also have no identifiable friends or associates. In short, I wish to get to know you."

The huntress shrugged. "What's there to know? I'm a bounty hunter from the planet K-2L, and I compete here from time to time. That's about it."

"So I know your job, but what do you like? What do you dislike? What's your favourite food? Colour? What was it like growing up on K-2L?"

Samus frowned, skeptical of Zelda's intentions. While the princess didn't seem to wish her harm, something didn't feel right; something Zelda wasn't telling her.

"Why do you find me interesting? What's your real reason?"

"Do I need a reason?" the princess demurred.

Samus grinned. "I think we're both smarter than that."

"I never implied you weren't unintelligent. I merely asked if I need a reason to want to be your friend."

"I highly doubt you just 'want to be my friend'," she emphasized her point with air quotes. "You would've approached me sooner, probably when you first came here."

The princess regarded Samus for a few moments. "I'm not sure if you'd believe me if I told you."

"Try me," she said. "Worst'll happen is I walk away."

The princess considered answering when the driver suddenly spoke. "We have arrived."

Samus opened the door they stepped out of the limo. Samus looked around, taking note of the busy street behind, the crowded sidewalk, and the buildings that lined the streets. She looked upwards at the looming glass building in front of her, its dark glass reflecting the street before it. And above its entrance a giant neon sign proudly displayed the building's name.

She followed the princess inside who handled getting their seats. They were quickly sat down in a private booth on one of the upper floors that offered them a view of the ocean that bordered the coastline of Smash City. Again she looked around. Hardly anyone was dinning on the floor. She rolled her shoulders and eased back against the plush bench.

Samus barely reached out to her menu when Zelda asked a question. "Why do you compete?"

The huntress looked up, taken aback. She thought about the question for a moment. "Wanted to challenge myself. See what's out there." She scoffed afterwards. She already spent plenty of time competing. Of everyone she's fought only a handful held their own against her. "Wasn't what I expected. Even if it was a nice change of pace."

"From your day to day?" Zelda leaned forward. Her eyes glimmered with curiosity. Hearing the stories of the worlds beyond the skies fascinated her. It still baffled her there were those who've learned how to travel beyond their own worlds.

Samus shrugged. "Pretty much. Hunting can get boring sometimes, even if it pays well."

"What sort of game do you hunt? Their value must be substantive if you're able live off of it, while also paying for any needs you may have for your vessel."

Samus regarded Zelda carefully. Something about what she said didn't sit right. "What makes you think that?"

Zelda smiled. "Despite my archaic background, I'm fairly more sophisticated than I seem." She raised an eyebrow challengingly. "And I am well educated for one of my station. Perhaps you think I lack intelligence because of my background."

Samus grinned. "I deserved that," she admitted. "To answer your question, I hunt people. People with prices on their heads; criminal or not. If there's money, I deliver. And yes it does pay for everything I need." She shifted along the bench until her back was to the corner. "Since we're talking about ourselves, let me ask you something: What do you know about me? And how much of the info do you actually understand?"

Zelda was confused. "I beg your pardon? What does, info, mean?"

"Information," she clarified.

"Oh." She smiled sheepishly. They paused a moment to order drinks.

"Besides what you've told me, very little. Your biography was lacking. As for your ship, it's a marvelous advancement in technology. I don't fully comprehend the engineering, and many of the terms just don't translate to my language as those words don't exist yet. But from what little I could glean, the costs for those components are astronomical compared to what an average person in my world would make."

And there it was again. Something was off about Zelda. Nothing benevolent, but there was more to this woman. She seemed far too at ease for someone who came from an incredibly archaic time period, especially in comparison to her own. Even Link, a seasoned veteran still had trouble operating a lot of the equipment here. Zelda hadn't said much, but the way she carried herself radiated confidence. Confidence in her surroundings. Her posture was relaxed. Too relaxed, as if she already had a strong grasp of the culture around her.

"I suppose that's true," she slowly said.

Zelda looked at her curiously. "Is something the matter?"

That was when Samus noticed it. She glanced at Zelda's neck and ears, then wrists, then her clothes. There was nothing.

"Wait a minute," she mumbled. She reached up to her ear and turned off her translator piercing. "What language are you speaking?"

"If I remember the word, English." Zelda's accent was almost perfect.

Samus was flummoxed. "How?"

"Magic."

The huntress scoffed. "You can't be serious."

"I'm quite serious," Zelda insisted. "My magic," she emphasized with a sweep of her hand, summoning bits of earth, fire, and water, before dismissing it, "augments my learning abilities, to a significant degree. It also protects and regulates my brain from the amount of information I'm capable of learning and retaining." As an example she listed off the specifications of Samus' gunship, in English.

Samus shook her head in disbelief. "That's unreal."

"It's not without its drawbacks, however." Depending on the amount of information learned, she needed time to absorb and retain the information. Sometimes the dump could last for a couple days, leaving her bedridden and exhausted.

"However, we're not here to discuss my abilities. I'd like to spend the evening on more pleasant topics."

"Such as?"

"Things that we've done, our families, the people we've met, and perhaps in your case the worlds you've been too. Or about ourselves."

"Then this'll be a one-sided conversation."

"Oh?"

"I have no intention talking about my job. My family's dead. Everyone I've met are dead or in jail. I've been to too many worlds to count, and anything about myself is private."

Zelda, however, was undeterred. Her eyes lit up in interest, as if Samus was some great puzzle she just had to solve. "So you say, but I bet I can guess a few things about you right now."

Samus gave her a flat look. She doubted it. Her profile said squat, regardless if it was here or in her world. Her ship had none of that as well.

The princess grinned. "Your favourite colour is blue. You instinctively keep your back guarded because you're always ready for a fight. You don't enjoy the company of people because you think relationships is pointless, because you fear it may lend your enemies an advantage."

Neither said anything. Both favoured staring at one another, daring the other to back down. Both of them were confident that they'd get the other to back off, or to confirm or deny what was said.

"And your favourite flower is lilacs."

"How did you-" She cursed under her breath. She hadn't expected that particular guess. She could deny, but Zelda would see through her. Instead she asked, "What made you think that?"

"You're shampoo." Samus' eyes widened and her eyebrows jumped. "I could just smell it in the taxi."

Samus slumped against her seat. She hadn't expected that particular observation. Blue was a harmless, albeit true observation. Guarding her back and her opinions on relationships was based on her behaviour. But to smell her shampoo? She resisted the urge to touch her hair. She wondered if that moment of indulgence was a bad idea. She'd grown accustomed to encountering her marks in her suit. It allowed herself to use lightly scented body wash and shampoo. The princess was very observant.

She chuckled. Of course Zelda was observant. Samus was willing to bet that Zelda even chaired and actually directed her own meetings, instead of some seneschal or regent on her behalf.

"You're not what I expected in a princess," she said, suddenly amused.

The princess seemed confused, and somewhat surprised. "You've met other princesses in your travels?"

"More than you know," Samus muttered irritably. Most princesses she's encountered were spoiled, self-entitled, ungrateful brats, who expected everything handed to them on a silver platter, waited on hand and foot, and were dumb as doornails. "I swear, not the sharpest spoon in the knife drawer, if you catch my meaning." Zelda giggled at the analogy. Samus quirked her lips.

All of the princesses she met prior to Zelda lived in absolute decadence. Never want of anything. And sheltered. So incredibly sheltered that the one that actually realized she was a woman called her a brutish amazon, and lament how a woman could allow herself to do something so barbaric; that it was a man's work.

Zelda laughed. "I daresay many of my 'contemporaries, if that's even applicable, are not as intelligent as I am. Or rather, as the average princess would be expected. I wouldn't expect them at my level of course."

"Probably," Samus said. "But you never know, maybe I'll meet someone with some form of intelligence. Heck maybe I'll eventually meet your future daughter."

Zelda blushed. "That…would be an interesting possibility," she muttered. Samus chuckled before picking up her drink.

"Huh…" Zelda looked back up, concerned by Samus' statement. She looked at the princess and said, "Guess I just told you something about my adventures."

Zelda grinned. "And I believe someone said they'd no intention of talking," she sassed.

They shared a laugh as the waiter returned to take their orders. Samus turned her gaze out towards the evening sky. She watched the princess's reflection. Less than 30 minutes and this was probably the longest conversation she's had in a long while. Such as it was being a friendless bounty hunter – no one to talk to; an inherently lonely existence.

Strangely enough she felt at ease around Zelda. While she was peripherally aware of her surroundings, she felt no need to be hyper vigilant like she's been for the last few weeks. It was nice to relax and not think everything was out to kill her. At least she hoped.

"So if we're asking about each other, why do you compete?"

"A fair question." The princess set down her drink. Samus raised an eyebrow.

"A beer?"

Zelda shook her head. "I believe, it's called mead."

Samus scrunched her face in mild distaste. "Too sweet."

"Too bitter," she countered, nodding towards the other glass on the table. Samus chuckled and raised her drink in admission before drinking some more beer. The princess raised her own drink as well.

Setting her glass down Zelda mulled over her answer. "Watching Link a couple years ago, I decided to try. Suffice to say, it wasn't an impressive showing."

Samus snorted. She remembered the princess's disastrous debut. She remembered how badly the crowd laughed and jeered at her. A stark difference from the fighter she saw this afternoon.

"After that I began to train. Other 'incidences' later on confirmed that need to improve. So I trained, both in swordsmanship and magic. If I'm to compete, I need to be able to hold my own."

"You definitely did today," Samus remarked.

"Thank you. That's how I started. As for why, at first it was a poor way to amuse myself. I came here as a guest; I was still learning about this world as well. That was the first time I'd gone beyond my lands. I was intelligent, but I lacked, I believe the term is street smarts, as it were. Repeated visits helped me develop that.

"My first defeat taught me many things; such as intelligence and strategy wasn't everything. Tactics, quick thinking, snap decisions, those are what make a fighter. But what truly got to me was the challenge. The idea pitting my skills against another, to see where I stood among fighters, it called out to me. That's what ultimately kept me in."

Samus nodded. It was an interesting motivation, although somewhat idealistic and generic. But somehow that made the princess seem both real and unreal. A prim and proper princess who apparently had a decent head on her shoulders, competing with what would normally be considered riffraff. She grinned at the thought. But then like any other fighter, she was drawn in by the challenge and the love of fighting. And yet it just didn't fit the image, if she didn't look at her eyes and see the way it just sparked at the thought of her next fight. It was strange, to see that underneath this perfect example of a princess was a fighter, ready to take on the world as it came.

The princess smiled and took a sip of her drink before asking her next question. "Earlier you said the league wasn't what you expected. Could you elaborate?"

"No challenge," she said. "Most of them are too simple, too easy to read. Might as well fight a punching bag." She could count on one hand who could actually challenge her. The league had been a disappointment. Master Hand had over embellished the sort of challenge she'd face. Sadly there weren't as many able warriors competing as he made it out to be. Eventually it was the money that kept her coming back. A little something to make on the side, although sometimes the payouts were bigger than her paychecks.

As she talked, she watched the princess listen to her attentively; nodding her head, expressing her occasional thoughts, and maintaining their eye contact. It was strange to see a 'princess' give her the time of day, instead of mentally wandering off, offering half-hearted responses or outright ignoring her. It was nice knowing Zelda was genuinely interested; and could hold an intelligent conversation with.

But it did raise a question.

"You never did tell me what about me interests you."

Zelda nodded. "That is true." She looked down at her drink for a time, pulling her thoughts together.

"I honestly do want to be your friend. I always see you alone. And during matches, you would appear, wait your turn, fight, and then leave. That's the only time I ever recall seeing you, otherwise you're in your room or aboard your ship. I always see you alone."

Samus shrugged. "I prefer it that way."

"That's not true," Zelda snapped. Samus raised her eyebrow. "I've lived alone, and even I must talk to people. Everyone has their limits on solitude. Some can just tolerate it better than others. But eventually they need to interact with people."

Samus considered rebutting, but stopped. She frowned and stared down at her drink. She let out a heavy sigh. The princess was right. It was true that she could stand to be alone for weeks on end; it was part of the job. But she did have her limits. From time to time, she'd give Adam a call to see how he was doing. They'd talk for a while, and then go for weeks to months at a time with no contact.

She nodded, admitting to the princess she was right. "Yeah. You're right." They shared a drink before Samus asked Zelda for her other reason.

Zelda looked down at her glass again as she played with the rim of her glass. This was going to be the hard part. She looked back up and stared her dead in the eye.

"Lately I've been experiencing visions; often at night. The images were vague at first. But lately it's been becoming clearer." She paused to gauge Samus' reaction. No reaction so far; just a neutral expression and the occasional drink from her beer. It was hard to tell, but at least she wasn't outright rejecting what she had to say. Yet.

"Every time I'd always see this shape of red and orange fighting. Eventually it became this armoured warrior who'd stand beside me against some force attacking my kingdom. And finally just before I came here, I saw what the warrior looked like."

"It looked like me," she said slowly.

Zelda nodded. "I thought it was strange, seeing your image. But I've never had reason to doubt my visions. Something tells me I'll need your help in the future. But instead of asking for your help for an unknown amount of time, I wanted to extend a hand in friendship. Perhaps even forge a means of communication, so I could call for your aid if I need it."

Samus stayed quiet. She frowned and looked out the window. What could she say? Magic? Visions? It sounded almost unreal. But the Chozo had proven visions were all too real. Her encounters with the spirits back on Tallon IV proved ghosts were real too. She looked down at her left hand; her eyes tracing the sigil etched into the back of her hand. The same symbol on her zero suit.

Savior of the Galaxy they said. She'd long given up on the galaxy. But she suppose she could at least live up to the saviour part – at least somewhat.

"I'm not dismissing it, but even you have to realize how far off this is."

The princesses nodded. "I know. But please believe me that I am also genuinely interested in your friendship. Many here have said you're impossible to talk to, that you'd brush me off, or tell me to go away. Some speculated you'd ever shoot me." Samus snorted. Knock her out at worst.

Zelda indicated to the restaurant they were in. "But you're already proving them wrong. You're here with me, in this restaurant, talking to me, about to eat with me." Their food was placed before them. They shared a chuckle over Zelda's timing.

"I'm not asking for some overly cheery relationship, like how princess Peach can be. But I'd like to be able to spend with time with you, doing things, or just talk. Maybe over tea or coffee, or the occasional meal. Really simple things."

Samus leaned back and stared Zelda, who fidgeted in her seat. She'd said everything she could. She just hoped Samus' answer was agreeable.

"Are you going to force the issue on helping you?"

Zelda shook her head. "Unless I desperately need it, I'll respect your wishes."

Samus shrugged. "I'll think about it, possibly helping you that is." She raised her glass. "But I suppose I could use another friend."

Zelda smiled brightly and brought up her glass. "To friendship."

Samus returned the grin. "To friendship."


End file.
